Typewriting machine



W. A. DOBSON TYPEWRIT ING MACHINE Filed March 2-, 1944 Sept. 4, 1945.

Illlll lllillliwlllll INVENTOR I BY w v ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 4, 1945 iumrso STATES PATENT orrlce William A.*Dobson, Hartford, Conn assignor to Underwood Corporation, a corporation ofDela- Application March 2, 1944, Serial No. 524,788 (o1. 197%10) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to' margin gaging mechanism'for typewriters'and the like machines, of the kind in which the margin stops ar selectively positionable along asupporting rack.

An object of the invention'is to provide an improved margin gaging mechanism particularly suitable for typewriters of the portable class.

'A further object is'to provide an'improved construction of the margin stop unit to afford economic fabrication and finger-release manipulation'in' positioning the stop selectively on its supporting rack." I

Other'objects will be in part. pointed out and in part obvious as the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention proceeds. j g V In the'drawing,

lated portions of a typewriter embodying the invention, portions being broken away to facilitate illustration;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on line 22 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the improved margin top, shown in released condition on the supporting rack.

The invention, as illustrated, is embodied in an Underwood typewriter of the portable class comprising a main frame, of which side members 5 are shown, and a carriage 6 supporting a platen I and arranged for line typing and return travel on the main frame, in the usual manner. A bracket plate 8 is secured at each end to the main-frame members 5 and provides support for a line-end signal device 9 and a margingaging counterstop' I 0. The construction and operation of devices 9 and I is more fully shown and described in my Patent No. 2,328,375, issued August 31, 1943. For the purposes of the present invention it will suffice to note that the signal device 9 and the counterstop I0 cooperate with left and right margin stops I I, I2 on the carriage, in the well known manner. As disclosed in said patent, the counterstop Ill is arranged taken for pivotal limited movement left-ward to operate line locking devices, and is arranged for downward retractive movement clear of the stops II, l2, to effect margin release. Counterstop I0 is urged upward and rightward to its normal position by a spring I3.

The platen carriage 6 is of the conventional construction comprising end members I on which the platen I is rotatably supported, and a paper table or rest I6 rigidly secured by screws I! to the carriage. The paper table l6 has end wall 2I all said walls preferably forming a one-' walls I8 through which the screws pass for threading; engagement into the end members, spacer collars I9 being interposed between the connecting parts. 'The paper table also includes an inclined front wall 20 and an upright rear piece'," integral hollow'structure affording a housing or'mask for the margin stops and supporting rack now to be described. An apron 22 extends around the lower part of the platen 1, issuing upwardly and rearwardly substantially contiguous wi ththe paper table I6, to afford a guide surface facilitating the insertion 'and feeding of a work sheet'i'nto' the machine.

The stoprack is indicated at 23 and embodies an elongate bar secured at each end to the carriage-end members I5 and having at its front face a series of notches at letter-space pitch. The stops II arid-12 are similar in construction and therefore a description of th left margin stop, Figure 3, will suffice. The stop II includes a body portion 24, presenting a rigid box-like structure comprising a top 25 the ends of which are bent down to form, respectively, a front panel 26 and a back panel or finger piece 2'I, the latter being recessed or concave to fit the finger. At each side edge the finger piece 21 is extended forwardly to form sid walls 28 out out at 29 to fit against the bottom face of the rack 23, with the top 25 lying against its upper face. The front panel 26 is reinforced by a backing plate 30 secured thereto and has at each side edge a tooth or prong 3| projecting rearwardly, the two prongs being spaced so as to each enter a notch of the rack bar. The lower edge'of the front wall provides an uprightshoulder 32 and an inclined face 33. The shoulders 32 of the two stops II, -I2 confront each other and the two faces 33 are oppositely inclined.

Between the side walls 28 of the stop is slidably arranged a U-shaped shoe 34 having side flanges slidably contacting the side walls, these flanges being bent off at their top edges to form guide lugs 35 each fitting slidably between the top edge of a side wall 28 and the top panel 25. The intermediate member of the shoe 34 has a pin bent therefrom to form a guide for a compression spring 36 pressing against the wall 21 of the body portion. The spring 36, pressing the shoe 34 against the rack, urges the body 24 of the stop rearwardly so as to press the two prongs 3| into the rack notches. Manual pressure on the finger piece 21, against the force of spring 36, moves the body 24 of the stop forward and thus withdraws the prongs 3| from the rack notches,

reaching over the paper table.

as shown in Fig. 3, so that the margin stop may be slid along the rack to the desired position. As

. the stop is released, the side flanges of shoe 34 keep the stop from canting sideways. The finger pressure may be strong, to the extent that the vertical edges of the cut outs 29 engage the rear face of the rack, these edges thus acting as a gage to assure that the prongs 3| I are clear of the rack teeth. As the margin stop is moved along the rack, the shoe 34, having broad contact with both the rack and the interior sides of the stop, keeps the stop at right angles to the rack,

thereby avoiding having the prongs 3| catch in v the rack notches while the stdpis being moved.

Upon release of finger pressure spring 36 causes the prongs 3| to seat in other notches of the rack to lock the margin stop in the new position.

As shown best in Figure 2, the rack 23is arranged beneath the paper table [6, well within 1 the angle defined by the front and rear walls 20,- 2| thereof, so that the rack and the stops thereon are concealed from casual .view. The body portion 24 of each stop extends rearwardly from the rack to project through an opening 39 in the rear wall of the paper table, to make the finger piece easily accessible to the operator's fingers Each margin stop H; l2 carries a pointer 38 which preferably is formed of an extension of the top member 25 of-the stop. In the front wall 20 an elongate paper table, the stop pointersand scale are in view and the margin stops ll, l2 may be moved to their desired locations as gaged from the side edges of the sheet. If margins of exact measure are desired, the bend of the work sheet may be held close to the window and each margin may be measured along the scale. iromthe adjacent work-sheet; edge. "If a tivping lirie ef-j'a certain length or a'crtain number of letter spaces is required, the stop pointers may be positioned "directly at the appropriate calibrations on the scale W hat is claimed is: I

a typewriter, a stop unit adapted for position adjustmeiitand locking engagement on a toothed rack, comprising a box-like body portion vformed of sheet metal and including a top panel,

. fitting the recess and spring-pressed into-contact opening is provided through which the ends I of the pointers 38 are visible. This opening may have a transparent covering or window 4| on which ascale calibrated'in letter spaces and inches is arranged.

In use a Work sheet may first be placedaround the platen inthe usual manner, however without with the rack. U 2. In a typewriter a stop unit. adapted for position adjustment and locking engagement on a toothed rack, comprising abox-likebody portion I formed of sheet metal and including atop panel,

end panels bent off from the top panel and side panels bent off from at least one end panel :and defining aligned openings admitting the rack, the body portion beingsubstantially longer; than the width of the rack to afiord a rectangular recess particular care as to its exact-lateral location. Allowing the trailing portion of the sheet to hang over the platen, instead of letting it rest on the adjacent one side of the rack, and a U-shaped sheet metal shoe slidably fitting the recess, with its-sides contacting a substantial length of the side panels. 1 4 i-.

- *WILLIAM A; DOB SON. 

